


like it's easy

by 97skies



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: F/F, First Meetings, Fluff, Getting Together, Meet-Cute, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Sort Of, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, i love women, jiwoo is the love of my life, sooyoung is a disaster gay, truly an opportunity for me to talk abt how jiwoo is the embodiment of the sun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:48:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27357535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/97skies/pseuds/97skies
Summary: Sooyoung doesn’t believe in soulmates.She thinks it’s an unreliable system, the little timers counting down on each person’s wrists from birth. If the times were fixed, she’d probably be more inclined to believe in them.Though, the pretty girl sitting in her lap covered in her coffee, might just give her a run for her money.
Relationships: Ha Sooyoung | Yves/Kim Jiwoo | Chuu
Comments: 26
Kudos: 284





	like it's easy

**Author's Note:**

> uhhh hi! 
> 
> so this is one of the aforementioned fics that i had sitting in my docs and i finally. buckled down and finished it!! unsure of how i feel but sometimes you just have to post it, yknow?
> 
> anyway, i love women. loona is one of my ult groups and it makes me sad that their tags aren't given much love :( i had this random idea one day and it somehow wormed its way into this Very Sapphic Fic and. i have no explanation other than. women. 
> 
> i hope you enjoy!

Sooyoung doesn’t believe in soulmates.

Jinsoul claims it’s because she’s bitter and angry at the universe for her lack of wrist-clock. 

Sooyoung knows that that’s probably part of the reason, but she’d never tell Jinsoul that. 

She thinks it’s an unreliable system, the little timers counting down on each person’s wrists from birth. If the times were fixed, she’d probably be more inclined to believe in them.

They’re constantly shifting, the time always changing as your supposed “soulmate” moves closer or farther away from meeting you. Or, at least, that’s how they explained it in 5th grade, and then again in freshman year of high school. Sooyoung doesn’t buy it. 

Most of the time, she’s thankful to be an anomaly. Like the day she and Jinsoul were at the mall after school, and she happened to notice that the timer on Jinsoul’s wrist had suddenly changed to 30 seconds, and Jinsoul had almost thrown up all over her boots. She had felt the panic rising in her own throat, until the clock went all the way down to 15 seconds then promptly shifted to 388 days. 

“Where the hell did they  _ go _ ? Do you think they work here or something?” 

“Maybe they saw you and changed their mind.” 

“I should’ve thrown up on you.” 

  
  


Jinsoul was her main point of reference, being her best friend since they were kids. Sooyoung had spent enough hours staring at the numbers ticking on her skin to know that Jinsoul’s was pretty consistent. It generally only changed by a few days, and that day at the mall was the only big scare she had ever had. 

Chris, their friend from high school, was another case toward Sooyoung’s doubt. His changed probably every ten seconds, and was very distracting when you sat next to him during a lecture. 

“Why do you think I always wear long sleeves?” He had laughed over their table in the cafeteria. 

She had asked him, the summer after graduation (in between shots), if he thought his clock was broken. If it had been anyone else, he might’ve punched them, or stormed off. But he glanced down at her naked wrist, and she had watched as the tears welled up in his eyes. 

Well, at least, he  _ was _ a useful cog in her theory, until one day he flew back home to Australia and his clock ran down to zero in the airport. He came back to Korea, a pretty boy with silvery hair and a sprinkling of freckles holding his hand. Turns out, they were both from Australia but had been flying back and forth from Korea so often that their schedules had never really lined up. His name was Felix, and he had always thought that his clock was broken, too. 

Sooyoung still didn’t believe in soulmates, but she did have a minor dislike for airports. Especially with how often Chris told the story, his eyes all stupid and gooey.

It certainly wasn’t terrible. She never sat around, staring at her wrist, watching the numbers tick. She didn’t know what it felt like to watch the seconds drop below a minute and feel her stomach turn over. Her mom had told her that it was the universe telling her she was special; she was too good for one person, she could pick whoever fit her best. Sooyoung tried her hardest to believe her. 

The worst part was the looks. The pity. The way people looked at her like an orphan. Or a kicked puppy. 

The talks at school were awful. Everyone tried their hardest not to look at her, especially when they reached the part in the lecture about “defective” or “absent” clocks. By high school she was used to making jokes, but the most she ever got was uncomfortable guilty laughs. Except for Jinsoul, of course, who was a champ and laughed like it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. 

  
  


Now, Sooyoung  _ still _ doesn’t believe in soulmates, even with the pretty girl sitting in her lap. 

She’s at the subway station, with Jinsoul and Vivi, waiting for their train. It’s late in the morning, but the underground is still crowded with people, so she doesn’t see her coming. Though, to be fair, the girl doesn't either. 

Sooyoung is peacefully sipping on her iced coffee, a treat from Vivi after finishing their midterms, her other hand hooked on her backpack strap. Vivi and Jinsoul are talking about something, but she isn’t really listening, instead thinking about what she might get for lunch when they get to the mall, then  _ WHAM _ .

She’s on the floor, and the closest thing she’s ever seen to a human puppy is sitting in her lap, drenched in her coffee. 

The girl is stunned only for a second, before she bursts into laughter, and Sooyoung is left ridiculously disarmed. Her smile is bright and white, and it turns her eyes into crescent moons. Sooyoung is taking in the honey brown of her hair when the girl finally stops laughing, but she never stops smiling. 

“I’m so sorry! I’m in a bit of a rush.” Her tone is apologetic, people are staring, and Sooyoung tries desperately to make her brain form words. Any words at all, in fact, would be good. 

“That’s—that’s okay, oh my god—you’re covered in coffee—” Soonyoung manages, but the girl is extracting herself from Sooyoung’s lap, and Sooyoung notices the scattered papers all around them. 

“It’s alright! I like the smell of coffee, anyway. I only hope my classmates do, too.” She flashes the smile at Sooyoung, and Sooyoung is paralyzed again. 

Jinsoul and Vivi materialize on the floor next to her, helping the girl gather her papers. Sooyoung blinks, and reaches for the paper next to her, which conveniently happens to be the same one the girl is reaching for, and their fingers brush. Sooyoung tries not to dissolve. The girl grins at her again, and Sooyoung picks out her pink sweatshirt, entirely too big —and now soaked in coffee— and her lilac skirt, ironed and clean and exactly enough to make Sooyoung pass out on the subway station floor. 

The girl raises an eyebrow, probably at the fact that Sooyoung is still on the floor, gaping like an idiot, and her sleeve pulls back as she reaches for the last piece of paper. 

Sooyoung hears a gasp from Vivi, and watches as the girl glances down at her wrist. Her eyes go wide. 

Sooyoung’s stomach drops. 

The girl stares, her smile wiped away clean for the first time since she came barreling at Sooyoung. A hush falls over the people around them, everyone’s eyes trained on the zeroes on her arm. 

Sooyoung looks at the girl, and their eyes lock. It’s not even a second before the girl’s face splits into a smile so wide it threatens to take her whole face. 

Sooyoung thinks she hears clapping and congratulations from the people around them, but all she can really focus on is the girl kneeling in front of her, laughing again. The girl’s face suddenly shifts and morphs into brief panic, and Sooyoung follows, her brain having totally abandoned her. 

The girl dives into her bag, searching violently. She emerges with a pen, and starts scribbling while attempting to stand (a feat of its own), and checks her phone once she’s finished. Her eyes go wide at the screen, and Sooyoung wonders if she’s ever met someone nearly as animated. 

She thrusts the paper into Sooyoung’s hand, and brings the smile back. This does not help Sooyoung in trying to respond like a functioning human. 

“I have class—I can’t miss my train. That’s my number,  _ please _ call me.” She laughs, apparently aware of the ridiculousness of the whole situation, but still intending to go through with it. 

Sooyoung nods, and the girl bites her lip and smiles again, and takes off into the crowd, which promptly separates for her. 

Jinsoul, who had been very much in shock for most of the whole encounter, seems to wake up, and she drags Sooyoung up by the shoulder. They lock eyes, and Sooyoung feels like she was just doused with ice water. 

Sooyoung takes off into the crowd, lunch be damned, pushing through people until she spots the girl. She’s about to step on the train, so Sooyoung yells, all logical thought abandoned. 

“You never said your name!” 

The girl turns, searching for the voice. She spots Sooyoung, and Sooyoung sucks in a breath at the grin that emerges on her face. 

“Jiwoo! What’s yours?” 

They’re yelling, and people are staring, but Sooyoung doesn’t care. Her whole body is on fire. 

“Sooyoung!” She shouts, and the girl’s smile is so bright that Sooyoung thinks the sun should retire. 

“Nice to meet you!” Jiwoo calls, stepping onto the train. The doors close, and Sooyoung watches as she finds a seat. Jiwoo waves at her through the window, and Sooyoung—completely numb all over yet somehow also feeling the force of the entire universe in her average-heighted body—waves back.

* * *

They’re sitting in the booth at Jinsoul’s favorite chicken restaurant when the horror sets in. 

Sooyoung was mostly in shock for most of the ride to the mall. Vivi is calm and attentive as she attempts to soothe her, but Jinsoul is cracking jokes and trying to keep the mood light. 

Nothing is really helping. 

“I don’t have a timer.” Sooyoung repeats for the third time. Jinsoul sips on her coke, nodding from across the table. Vivi looks like she might hit her. Instead, however, she gently rubs Sooyoung’s back. 

“Yeah, you don’t. But that doesn’t mean she’s not your soulmate!” 

Sooyoung drops her head onto the table miserably. She doesn’t even  _ believe _ in soulmates. 

“How do I tell her I don’t have a timer? Do you think she’s gonna run off?” Sooyoung’s eyes are wide, and Jinsoul looks like she’s about to answer, but Vivi swiftly kicks her under the table. 

“Ow! Okay, geez.” 

“You should call her tonight. Just explain everything.” 

Sooyoung groans, and she looks at the paper in her hands again. Jiwoo’s handwriting is pretty, even though she was in a rush. Sooyoung runs her fingers over the cartoon characters printed at the bottom of the paper. She silently wishes for death, and then does it verbally. Vivi sighs, and continues rubbing her back.

“It’s gonna be okay, I promise.” 

“Yeah, what’s the worst that could happen? You already thought you didn’t have a soulmate. So what if she runs off?” 

Vivi presses her head into her hands, and Sooyoung laughs for the first time since this morning. 

“You’re right, I guess.” 

Jinsoul smiles in approval, and takes another sip of her soda. 

“But did you see her? She’s like a freaking sprite from some Ghibli movie. She’s probably been dreaming of this soulmate crap for her whole life.” Sooyoung closes her eyes, exhaling. 

“What if I break her heart? Or what if I’m not her soulmate?” 

Jinsoul snorts, then grabs Sooyoung’s hands from across the table. 

“That girl thought that she met her goddamned  _ soulmate _ and was still determined not to miss her train—she’s tougher than you think.”

* * *

The sun has barely started to set when Sooyoung calls. That counts as evening, right? 

She’s sitting on the couch in her living room, watching the sky fade and twisting her fingers. The line rings once, then she’s connected to a voice, and Sooyoung thinks that she probably shouldn’t have kicked Jinsoul out. She needs someone there to find her dead body. 

“ _ Sooyoung? _ ” 

Jiwoo’s voice is a pitch higher than it was at the station, but equally as soft. Sooyoung tries to steady her heartbeat, but it doesn’t work. Because, y’know,  _ why _ would it? 

“Yeah, hi. Wait—how did you know?” 

“ _ I don’t usually get calls from random numbers. And, I don’t know, I just kinda felt it? _ ” 

“Oh.” 

Sooyoung bites down on her lip. She needs to tell her, but it’s not exactly easy to tell a pretty girl that you’re sad and broken and she’s potentially sad and broken, too. 

“ _ This feels weird. Can we meet up instead? I know it’s late, but— _ ”

“No, that’s perfect.” Sooyoung laughs, attempting to shake some of the nervousness out of her voice. 

“ _ Cool. Where do you live? _ ” 

Sooyoung gapes, aware that this girl is essentially a stranger and that Sooyoung should absolutely  _ not _ be giving away her address, but she does anyway,  _ of course _ .

“ _ Oh my god, this soulmate stuff is freaky. _ ” 

Sooyoung knits her brow at that, but before she can ask, Jiwoo is chirping again over the line. 

“ _ I live like, two blocks from there. Do you know the park with the big lake? The one with the ducks? _ ” 

And, naturally, Sooyoung does. It’s where she goes on picnics with Minghao and Mingyu when they claim she’s stressed and needs to see the sun. Mingyu likes to feed the ducks while Minghao paints, and Sooyoung lays on her back and complains loudly. 

“Yeah, I do.” 

“ _ Great. _ ” Sooyoung can tell she’s grinning on the other side of the phone. “ _ Meet me there in 20 minutes? _ ”

Sooyoung swallows. Her heart is beating like she’s just run a marathon. She doesn’t even  _ believe _ in soulmates, for fuck’s sake. 

“You got it.” 

  
  


She’s standing on the path next to the lake, watching the streetlights flick on, when she spots Jiwoo. 

Jiwoo doesn’t see her, though, and Sooyoung takes in the determined look on her face as she walks along the path. She’s wearing a baby blue hoodie now, but the same lilac skirt. Sooyoung immediately thinks that her legs are going to get cold, and then curses herself for thinking that. 

She watches as Jiwoo sees her. Her face lights up, and Sooyoung feels her chest tighten. 

She’s wondering what the statistical probability of the tree next to her spontaneously tipping over and crushing her is, when Jiwoo stops in front of her. Sooyoung notes the pink of her cheeks, probably from walking in the evening air, and tries not to stare, which may as well be impossible. 

“Hi.” 

“Hi.” 

“It’s nice to see you, y’know, not on the floor.” Jiwoo says, and her eyes disappear into her cheeks. Sooyoung laughs, twisting her fingers. 

“Yeah, definitely. Sorry about the coffee, again.” 

Jiwoo shrugs, her smile infectious. Sooyoung feels like she’s about to shoot off into space. 

“I shouldn’t have been running, I’m always late. Though,” She laughs, looking at the dirt path. “I guess it was a good thing I was running late today.” 

Sooyoung finally lets the dread roll over her body. She rubs the back of her neck and exhales. 

“Actually, about that. I have something I need to tell you.” 

Jiwoo’s listening now, but it’s not like she wasn’t before. Her smile doesn’t fall, just shrinks, and her brows knit together confusion. She doesn’t say anything, so Sooyoung tries to keep going. It’s even harder than she expected, which is saying a  _ lot _ . 

“I don’t have a timer.” The words come out after a fight, but they fall on the floor like stones in the ocean. Jiwoo’s face goes through several emotions, and lands determinedly on confusion. Sooyoung pushes down the lump forming in her throat.

She wishes she would say anything, literally anything, but Jiwoo stands there, staring at Sooyoung’s face. 

Jiwoo reaches down suddenly, and before Sooyoung can react, she’s taking Sooyoung’s right wrist in between her fingers. She gently pulls back the sleeve of Sooyoung’s windbreaker, and examines the skin. Sooyoung tries not to combust. For the first time, Jiwoo’s face is unreadable. 

She carefully runs her fingers over Sooyoung’s wrist, and Sooyoung watches every move. Jiwoo pulls away her other hand, and softly lets go of Sooyoung’s arm. Sooyoung wishes she couldn’t feel the remnants of her fingertips on her skin. 

“Well, it’s a good thing that I have one, then.” 

Jiwoo’s face breaks into a smile. Sooyoung’s infected. She smiles, too. 

* * *

A month later, and Sooyoung is walking in the afternoon sunlight, avoiding the stream of students getting out of class. 

She’s going to meet Jiwoo; their classes end at the same time on Fridays. They go to the same university, which honestly, shouldn’t have shocked Sooyoung. 

They eat at the same places and are taking most of the same classes, though, Sooyoung is a dance major and Jiwoo’s studying music. They even grew up in the same neighborhood. 

Even with all signs pointing towards them being connected by the  _ universe _ , or  _ some other _ crap, Sooyoung has no idea where they stand. She knows that Jiwoo wants to be a singer, and that she eats ice cream while she studies. She lives with her best friend, Jungeun, and their apartment looks like something out of a web cartoon. She also knows that if she doesn’t text Jiwoo goodnight before she falls asleep, she’ll wake up to a text that reads something like:  _ sleep well, sooyoung unnie! have an amazing day tomorrow!  _ followed by several dozen heart emojis. It wakes her up better than caffeine. 

She walks up outside the lecture hall to find Jiwoo standing next to the door, waiting. She flashes her grin, and Sooyoung is left, once again, disarmed. 

“I was waiting for you!” Jiwoo skips up next to her, interlocking their fingers. 

Oh, she does that, too. 

Jiwoo is what Sooyoung would consider the most affectionate person on the planet. Not just to her, but to everyone. Which is intensely confusing, because Sooyoung would rather choke than hold Jinsoul’s hand. But Jiwoo’s hands are soft, and warm, and seemingly always waiting to slip into hers.

“Are you hungry? I kinda want milk tea.” Sooyoung asks as they walk down the hallway, swinging their arms. 

“That sounds really good. Wanna go to the place by the park?” 

“Yeah, okay.” 

So they do. 

That’s the other thing. Jiwoo is easy. 

Not that she’s not feisty and funny, because she is. Enough to leave Sooyoung clutching her stomach in laughter when they’re supposed to be studying. But she’s easygoing; she rarely ever sweats the little things. Which is a huge contrast to Sooyoung, who is used to worrying about  _ everything _ . 

She’s used to fighting with the world for the things she wants, or having to make demands and scream for the things she needs. Her friends are wonderful, but they’re not perfect. Sooyoung’s comfortable with arguing for an hour before they can ever pick somewhere to eat or what movie to see. 

Jiwoo isn’t, though. 

If Sooyoung wants to go somewhere, that’s where they go. And she hasn’t really ever  _ not _ wanted to do anything Jiwoo wants to do, though she suspects that Jiwoo would just squish her face and tell her that it’s okay. That they can do it another time, or find something that they both want to do. 

She makes things easy. Like life doesn’t have to be a fight. Like you can just sit and drink bubble tea and talk about class and movies and nothing in particular. 

So they do. 

* * *

It’s two weeks later and they’re cuddled up on the couch in Sooyoung’s apartment, watching some ancient anime from the 1990s that Jiwoo has on DVD.

“You’re falling asleep.” 

“I am  _ not _ !”

Jiwoo pouts, her head in Sooyoung’s lap. Sooyoung could feel her dozing off for probably the last 20 minutes before saying something. She knows it’s because she likes to watch her sleep, which is totally creepy and  _ who has she become. _

Jiwoo had class all morning, so it’s no wonder she’s tired. But, they haven’t seen each other in two days, so she’s determined to stay awake. Sooyoung is not ignorant to the fact that she kinda wants her to stay awake, too, even if her sleeping face is cute enough to make Sooyoung feel like she’s floating. 

“Your lap is just really comfy.” Jiwoo sighs, sitting up straight. She pouts for a second, before replacing it with a grin and interlocking their fingers. Sooyoung is  _ whipped _ , and painfully so. 

“We could watch one of those music shows, I know you like them.” She offers, letting go of one of Sooyoung’s hands to grab the remote. 

“You’re gonna fall asleep to that, too.” 

Sooyoung laughs at the expression on Jiwoo’s face. Jiwoo rolls her eyes. 

“What do you suggest we watch, then?” 

She’s sarcastic, but means none of it. The lack of venom makes Sooyoung’s lip turn upwards. 

“I suggest you get some sleep tonight, and maybe this’ll stop happening.” 

Sooyoung discovered Jiwoo’s lack of self-care after the third time she fell asleep while they were at the movies. It’s too easy for her to hide it, but Sooyoung’s gotten good at picking out when she’s overworking herself. Her shoulders will slump for just a second, then perk right back up, and Sooyoung will know she’s stressed over something, or she’ll notice a suspicious lack of ice cream in the fridge and know she hasn’t had time to go grocery shopping.

“Why don’t I stay here tonight, and you can make sure of it?”

Sooyoung is immediately and violently thrown off by that comment, and the teasing grin splayed on Jiwoo’s face certainly doesn’t help. She quickly recovers, however, and pulls Jiwoo in by the arm. 

Sooyoung does not anticipate Jiwoo throwing herself on top of Sooyoung, sending them both crashing onto the arm of the couch. She is keenly aware of Jiwoo hovering a few inches above her face, giggling uncontrollably. Sooyoung burns everywhere they’re touching. 

Her hand is still on Jiwoo’s arm, but Jiwoo shifts her weight, holding herself up by her arms on either side of Sooyoung’s face. Sooyoung notes the little flecks of gold in the brown of her eyes. 

Jiwoo glances down at her lips, once, twice, three times. Sooyoung tries to remember where she is, what day it is, what her name is. She fails on all three accounts. 

Sooyoung doesn’t believe in soulmates. 

But she pushes herself up and connects their lips anyway, because  _ fuck it _ . 

Jiwoo lets out a soft noise of surprise at first, but the next second she’s melting, running a hand through Sooyoung’s hair. They’re kissing and kissing and kissing and it is so different and so nice that Sooyoung wonders why they haven’t been doing this the whole time. 

Sooyoung reaches her hands around Jiwoo’s back, pulling her into her chest. Jiwoo breaks away to press soft kisses down her jaw, and Sooyoung picks up her hand and interlocks their fingers, a fire raging in her chest. 

Sooyoung pulls away, and Jiwoo giggles at her expression. 

“Yeah, you can stay the night.” 

Jiwoo laughs as Sooyoung kisses her again. 

* * *

  
  
It’s a year later when Sooyoung comes home, exhausted after a particularly boring lecture, to find Jiwoo washing dishes in her apartment.

Sooyoung closes the door and slumps her stuff onto the kitchen table and comes up behind Jiwoo, wrapping her arms around her waist. Jiwoo’s softly humming one of the songs Sooyoung likes to blast while she’s in the shower. 

“I would’ve done them myself.” 

Jiwoo laughs at that. It’s bright and airy and Sooyoung feels like she’s been injected with caffeine. “After, what? Another two weeks?”

Sooyoung doesn’t answer, just nuzzles her face into the crook of Jiwoo’s neck. 

“How was class?” 

“Boring. I’m contemplating dropping out and becoming a homebody.” 

“Well, you could do that,” Jiwoo says, turning off the water. “But I’m not gonna help you pay rent.” 

Sooyoung groans into her neck, and Jiwoo laughs as she wrings out the sponge. 

“Hey.” Sooyoung breaths along her neck. 

“Yes?” 

“Can I ask you something?” 

Jiwoo’s eyebrows pull together, but she leans back into where Sooyoung has folded herself up against her back. She hums, nodding. Sooyoung squeezes her waist, feeling suddenly in need of an anchor. 

“Do you believe in soulmates?” 

Sooyoung doesn’t know what she’s expecting, really. But the thought rolls around in her head like a bowling ball, knocking to the front of her consciousness whenever she finally starts to feel settled. She doesn’t really expect Jiwoo to turn around in her arms, though, and push the hair back from her face. Her eyes search Sooyoung’s face, and she knows she’s too easy to read. She’d let Jiwoo open her up until her spine starts to crack and all her pages start to weather. 

“Did something happen?” 

_ Yes _ , Sooyoung wants to answer, _ you happened _ . Because Sooyoung never believed in soulmates, but now she’s standing in her kitchen holding onto Jiwoo’s waist like if she lets go she’ll disappear. 

“No,” Sooyoung presses a kiss to Jiwoo’s collarbone. “Just curious.” 

Jiwoo’s face scrunches up, and Sooyoung knows she’s thinking. After a moment, she sighs, and tangles both of her hands into Sooyoung’s hair. 

“Hmm. I don’t know what I believe.” She breaks out her best grin. Sooyoung wants to slice open her chest and tell Jiwoo to pick whatever she wants, she can have it all. Jiwoo presses a small kiss to Sooyoung’s temple, then pulls her head close. She kisses the outside of her ear, then whispers: 

“But I believe in you.” 

* * *

It’s a few months after that when the first real fight comes.

They’re at Minghao’s apartment for his birthday, and Sooyoung feels warm and happy with the blunt between her fingers and Jiwoo’s arm draped across her shoulders. 

It’s not the first time Jiwoo’s met her friends, but it might be the first time she’s met all of her friends  _ together _ . And under the influence. It’s chaotic and confusing but Jiwoo takes it in stride, giving her best smiles and making everyone fall in love with her, like Sooyoung knew she would. 

They’re up against the wall, giggling to each other about something when Seungkwan comes up to them, completely drunk. He babbles on about how great Jiwoo is and how glad he is that Sooyoung snagged a girl like her, and Jiwoo laughs and steals a glance at Sooyoung. 

“It’s so great that you’re not worried about the whole no-timer thing, because you’re great together!” He slurs the end of his sentence, and Sooyoung’s face falls. “Because, I know I could never handle that, y’know? The not knowing? You’re so strong.” 

Sooyoung suddenly swallows, her stomach filling with lead. She is definitely not high enough to stomach  _ that _ conversation, and is more than happy to let Vernon take Seungkwan’s hand and lead him off somewhere else, apologizing. 

Jiwoo doesn’t say anything, but neither does Sooyoung. 

It bubbles and boils over when they get home, when Sooyoung’s high has worn off and Jiwoo is exhausted from all the new people. Sooyoung sees the stress in her shoulders, but she ignores it, and slings off her jacket and heads to the bathroom. 

“You don’t want to talk about it?” 

Sooyoung takes a deep breath and strips off her tank top, dropping it in the laundry basket outside the bathroom. She doesn’t want to talk about it, not really, so she plays dumb. 

“Talk about what?” 

“Sooyoung.” Jiwoo’s voice and the lack-of-honorific make Sooyoung turn, and she picks out the tiredness in her eyes. Sooyoung feels the anger gurgling in the pit of her stomach. 

“I don’t have a timer. We’ve been over this. It’s not new information.” 

“Yeah, I know.” Her voice is soft, like always, but she makes no attempt to enter Sooyoung’s space. “But it bothers you.” 

“And it doesn’t bother you?” 

Jiwoo bites her lip, considering. She leans on the edge of the kitchen table. “No, not anymore.” 

“How?” 

“Because  _ I _ have a timer. And it stopped when I met you. I know you’re meant for me.” 

Sooyoung swallows as the tears build in her eyes. 

“Do you think I’m not meant for you?” Jiwoo asks, her eyes searching, and  _ god _ , Sooyoung wishes she couldn’t see through her like cellophane. 

“No.” Her voice is thick, and it tumbles out of her mouth, clumsy and upset. She feels like a toddler, standing in her bra in front of the bathroom, holding her arms around her middle and crying. 

Jiwoo’s face is tired, but she sees, like she always does. It’s like she has a map of Sooyoung in her brain and always knows where to tap or push when something is wrong. She closes the space between them, and wraps her arms around Sooyoung’s shoulders. 

“Then that’s all I need.” 

Sooyoung pulls her arms around Jiwoo’s back, and buries a sob into her shoulder. She breaks away to apologize, but Jiwoo hushes her and kisses her before she can. 

* * *

It’s two years later, while they’re having dinner on the floor of Vivi’s new apartment when Jinsoul says, “I think you two are meant to be.” 

She says it offhand, sitting crosslegged and in between gulps of beer and half-hazard bites of chicken, but it still catches Sooyoung off guard. They had been talking about wallpaper before she got suspiciously quiet, and now  _ this _ . 

“Uh, yeah, unnie,” Jiwoo laughs. “We’re soulmates?” 

Sooyoung warms up at the reminder. The way Jiwoo says it, heavy with honey and the corners of her mouth tipped up is enough to make Sooyoung’s stomach do flips. 

Jinsoul snorts, taking another bite of chicken. “Yeah, I know,” She mumbles, her mouth full. Vivi sighs, handing her a napkin. “But I mean like, if these timers weren’t a thing, I still think you’d be together.” 

Sooyoung sneaks a glance at Jiwoo, and her eyes say  _ if you don’t ask, I will _ ; Sooyoung grins.

“Okay, why?” 

“Because,” She answers, looking up as she finds her words. “You guys almost crossed paths a million times but never did. Statistically, you were gonna meet at some point.” Sooyoung raises an eyebrow. “And when you eventually did, well, Sooyoung-ah is a simp for pretty girls.” 

Sooyoung kicks her knee, and Jinsoul yelps. “It’s true! And even if you were too much of a wimp to say anything, Jiwoo’s so stubborn she would’ve asked you out when she got tired of waiting.” She finishes, rubbing her knee. 

“That only means how they got together, though,” Haseul adds, and Vivi glares at her. “What?” 

Vivi exhales, and Sooyoung looks over in surprise when Jiwoo says, “Yeah, unnie.” 

She sees the look on Sooyoung’s face, probably shocked and a little hurt, so she gives a grin that feels like hot cocoa and intertwines their fingers. “I think we’re meant to be, but I’m curious. You only said how we would get together, unnie.” 

Sooyoung melts a little at her smile, and looks over at Jinsoul, who’s squinting in consideration. 

“I don’t know, you guys are just,” She starts. “You would make it work no matter what, y'know?” 

Sooyoung sits back, kissing Jiwoo’s knuckles. Jinsoul takes a sip of her beer and winks, and Sooyoung rolls her eyes. Jiwoo laughs, the sound easy and light on Sooyoung’s ears.

  
  


Sooyoung thinks of Jiwoo, sitting back and watching while she rehearses, telling her where she messed up and what she did well, then getting up to kiss her and complain about the sweat. 

She thinks of Jiwoo leaning across the table with her chopsticks when they get barbecue, just to make sure Sooyoung gets the cut of meat she likes. She thinks of herself, ordering an extra ramyun when Jiwoo isn’t paying attention, just to see the look on her face when the server brings it to the table. 

She thinks of Jiwoo texting her from the studio, sending her random videos that she likes while she’s waiting to record. Sending dozens of emojis or telling her stupid jokes just because she wants to talk, even though Sooyoung will be there when she gets home. 

She thinks of Jiwoo rubbing her muscles when she’s stressed and sore. She thinks of the dozens of vitamins that she buys when she’s at the store or all the cups of tea she’s made to keep Jiwoo from losing her voice. 

She thinks of Jiwoo playing her favorite song while she cleans up around the house, because she knows Sooyoung will slink out of their bedroom if to do nothing other than dance with her. She thinks of them dancing together while they clean and wash and do laundry, Jiwoo humming the song for the next few days. 

She thinks of Jiwoo, who pushes and prods and asks questions because she knows that Sooyoung likes to bottle up until she explodes. Jiwoo, who whispers softly and goes slow and waits until Sooyoung can speak, and listens when she finally does. Jiwoo, who reads her like she’s the most interesting novel she’s ever found. Jiwoo, who sees through her walls and barriers like they’re made of glass. 

Jiwoo, leaning into her chest after a long day. 

Jiwoo, pressing lazy kisses below her ear and along her jaw. 

Jiwoo, laughing until there’s tears in her eyes and gripping onto Sooyoung’s shoulder. 

Jiwoo, holding her hand like they’re joined at the wrist. 

Jiwoo, who makes everything easier. 

Jiwoo. She thinks of Jiwoo. 

  
  


Later that night, after Jinsoul drank her heart’s content and they managed to find their way home, Sooyoung lies in bed, awake. 

Her head rests on Jiwoo’s shoulder, an arm slung over her middle. Jiwoo senses her consciousness, like she always does, and stirs awake, blinking. 

“Babe,” 

“Hm?” Sooyoung answers, tracing lazy circles on Jiwoo’s stomach over her tank top. 

“Everything okay?” She asks, concerned, but drowsy. Sooyoung feels her mouth curve into a smile. 

“Yeah, baby. Go back to sleep.” 

“You sure?” 

“Mhm.” 

“Okay,” She sighs, settling under Sooyoung’s arm. She closes her eyes, then adds, “Wake me up if you need anything, okay?” 

Sooyoung hums. “Of course.” 

Jiwoo relaxes, but Sooyoung grins at the tiny crease between her brows. She pulls herself up and kisses it away, reveling in the way Jiwoo sighs into her. She falls asleep not long after, and Sooyoung presses a kiss onto her wrist, examining the zeros on the display. 

Sooyoung doesn’t know how she feels about soulmates anymore. 

She watches the way Jiwoo’s face scrunches up, probably a weird dream that Sooyoung will hear about in the morning over cereal or on the ride to the grocery store. She smiles softly, thumbing at her cheek. 

“I believe in you, Jiwoo.” She whispers, and Jiwoo’s fast asleep, but Sooyoung swears her face unbunches the tiniest bit. 

Sooyoung lays down and closes her eyes, Jiwoo’s heartbeat underneath her cheek, keeping time. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading this gay disaster. again, women. 
> 
> soulmate aus are so fun but sooyoung is very stubborn and fought me every step of the way, so kinda a lame ending, sorry about that LOL
> 
> i hope you enjoyed! thank u so much again for reading! now we'll see if i can finish any of the other fics sitting on my laptop in google doc limbo LMAOO
> 
> come say hi! [twt!](https://twitter.com/97SUNSH1NE)


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